


A Complicated Friendship

by TheSignOfJohnlock



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gay Male Character, M/M, Sally Donovan & Sherlock Holmes Friendship, Sally Donovan Appreciation, Sherlock is gay, head canon, like gay as fuck, more that he doesn't know how to behave, sally angst, sally liked sherlock at first, sherlock isn't so much of an asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-21 05:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2456192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSignOfJohnlock/pseuds/TheSignOfJohnlock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sally likes to watch the new detective Lestrade has found work, she thinks she might like to do more than just watch him, but Sherlock has a secret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Complicated Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Sherlock fic that I haven't tagged Johnlock, i.e. my first non romantic fic, please be kind :)

Sherlock head canon: 

When Sherlock was first invited to a crime scene, Sally was transfixed, she thought his deductive powers were brilliant and the man behind them was a sight to see. Being headstrong and relatively confident in herself Detective Sergeant Sally Donovan went for it. She approached him after the genius quickly and easily wiped the crime scene clean of it’s secrets one rainy day, he was pulling his coat tight to his chest, pulling the collar up and preparing himself to step out into the rain, 

"Oi, Sherlock?" Sally called to him, immediately regretting her choice of words, he’s a bloody genius and you’re calling to him like a dog? but the detective just turned curiously with an unrecognizing expression, “I’m Detective Donovan,” she began carefully, the unsure look faded from his face as Sherlock half smirked half frowned,

"You’re the one who didn’t want me on the crime scene at first," he realized out loud. Sally’s eye shifted apologetically to the side,

"Yeah, sorry, I’m just-it was just the rules say-," She tried to explain,

"No it’s fine, while I personally don’t adhere to them, I understand the need for protocols,"

"Oh, well good," Donovan said surprised by the detective’s easy understanding,"Anyways, I was just thinking, all of that brain work out there, it’s all incredible,and I thought that maybe you could tell me about it, over dinner?" She tagged on carefully.

"Dinner? For scientific curiosity or romantic curiosity?" Sherlock bluntly asked, just to be sure,

"R-romantic" Sally clarified as the consulting detective zeroed in on her with his deductive eyes. After a moment Sherlock’s eyes softened and it was his turn to look apologetic,

"I, well, that is to say, not that I’m not flattered by your interest, but, women aren’t really my area, as it were” his eyes went down waiting for her to respond, this being the first time he ever told anyone beyond his excessively overbearing brother who had figured it out on his own anyway. 

"So, your area is, men? Like you’re gay?” She asked, not suspecting this response at all,

"So it would seem, yes" he continued, "Though crime scenes aren’t exactly the best place to divulge such information, " he quickly explained, a worried look replacing his sorry one "always protesters and those who would no longer take me seriously" he looked at her hopefully and of course she understood, there are so many alpha males in New Scotland Yard that don’t take her seriously, she shuddered to think how they would react to finding out the man that none of them really liked in the first place (their own faults really, she thought to herself, they were the ones cheating on their wives and girlfriends, he’d just called them out on it) just so happened to be something they felt was grounds for ridicule.

"W-well alright, yeah no I wont go around posting it up with flyers or anything" she started, "Sorry, though, if I’d known, or even had an idea, I wouldn’t have bothered you"

"No apologies necessary, I appreciate how understanding you’re being about it, I didn’t expect that" he responded,

"To be honest, I was also surprised by your reaction to me," Sally explained, "I’ll be honest, my attraction to you is definitely there, but I was afraid you’d give me some crap about being "married to your work" or something, like you weren’t into anything, you seemed kind of cold at first glace, at least you were nice about it, it’s almost like I got to see under the armor" Sherlock began to look a little uncomfortable, he broke eye contact and cleared his throat,

"Well Detective Donovan, I appreciate your discretion in all of this," Sherlock babbled,

"Well yeah, I mean Lestrade and them saw me watching you, what am I going to tell them?" Donovan pondered, "If I just say you said no it wont really sound right without a reason,"

"Well you could always give them a reason," Sherlock started, "rather than revealing my preferences, you can just tell them I am a sodding cock who told you to take your silly girl crush and walk away, you’ll have to act like I really upset you though," though just a suggestion, the pang of hurt from the tall detective’s words bounced around her head for a second before she shoved them off and considered his idea,

"Yeah I suppose we can just be a little dramatic about it, at least until you are ready to share with the rest of the class," Sally laughed at her little joke, and the other detective was smirking, "I could even say that you deduced me down to nothing with that little trick of yours, that you’re a freak of nature or something ridiculous"

"You don’t actually think that do you?" Sherlock questioned carefully,

"What? No! Of course not, I just want to really sell it," she explained, "I think you’re brilliant, just top notch, it’s so fun watching you tear apart a crime scene,"

"Alright, good, that’s how we’ll continue then" Sherlock said with a smile, "It’s been nice getting to know you Detective Donovan"

"And you as well Mr. Holmes" She replied matching his smile.

After months of banter back and forth between them, shortly followed by smirks from their shared knowledge of the secret, Sally found herself quite fond of Sherlock, despite what every one else thought. That was until one day, the smirks stopped, the shallow look of hurt faded into a more sincere one, Sherlock started looking away from her whenever she said something or coming back with acid on his tongue, most of the time involving the new member of the forensics team that she’d been seeing as of late. Sally didn't understand what happened, but she kept her word and didn't talk to anyone about it and soon her insults began to feel a little less like jokes.

It wasn't until much later that she learned that Sherlock deleted their plan accidentally and forgot that she was joking, it hurts to think about it, but Sherlock will no longer talk to her seriously so that she might apologize. So she just goes with what’s in place, so no one gets hurt.


End file.
